BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman has alleged that a quarter is trying to implicate Ziaur Rahman’s name in Sheikh Mujibur Rahman murder in a bid to malign him having failed to belittle his role in the country’s Liberation War.
He also claimed those who had direct or indirect link with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman murder or failed to protect him have made Ziaur Rahman their target for conducting propaganda against him. “They’re distorting history and trying to hush up their role.”
Tarique reiterated those who had a strong role in the killing of Mujib are now in Sheikh Hessian’s cabinet. “These people are now very close to her and they’re spreading lies about Zia to save them. But people won’t accept their false propaganda.”
He was addressing a discussion in East London arranged by UK chapter BNP, marking the 26th founding anniversary of the party on Monday.
Tarique, the eldest son of BNP founder late president Ziaur Rahman, said though the political leadership during the 1971 had failed, his father did not waste time in proclaiming the country’s independence and initiating the war.
He further claimed those who are now spreading confusion about the BNP founder and the party most of them have no glorious role or participation in the Liberation War.
“Most of them were having a deep sleep using the oil Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had given them before he voluntarily surrender to Pakistani forces on the night of March 15, 1971. These oil users are now using the oil to hush up their failures. They themselves in their own style are now creating an oily history. The genuine freedom fighters are now helpless because of their outcry,” Tarique said.
Turning to the August 21 grenade attack on an Awami League rally in 2004, the BNP senior vice chairman said Sheikh Hasina should be interrogated in the case. “It’ll have to find out as to why Sheikh Hasina had changed her rally venue without informing the then government and administration on that day.”
He said investigation into the incident carried out by a partisan police official, who sought nomination from Awami League to be a MP, will not be fair and credible.
Criticising the ruling party leaders for accusing him of distorting history, Tarique said he is not writing or creating any history as he is only presenting some historical facts with documents and proof.
He alleged that some people are making unguarded and indecent remarks having failed to refute his comments that are based on facts.
In his nearly one-and-a-half-hour speech, Tarique discussed Ziaur Rahman’s role in the Liberation War, his ideals and philosophy, BNP’s formation, its activities and contributions to the nation, some incident before and the murder of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and some other political issues.
Tarique said though religion can contribute to politics, political parties should not be based on religion.
In this regard, he quoted his fatter Ziaur Rahman as telling a workshop in September, 1980, “No political ideal can be based on religion. It can contribute to politics, but politics cannot be based on religion.”
Mentioning that politics based on religion did not work during Pakistan era, the BNP leader said many groups in Bangladesh have also tried to do politics centring religion but ultimately turned unsuccessful.
Tarique, the eldest son of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman and its current chairperson Khaleda Zia, has been staying in London since 2008.
He was arrested on March 7, 2007 during the then army-backed interim regime and freed from jail on bail on September 3, 2008. He left for London for treatment eight days later. He is an accused in a number of cases, including the August 21 grenade attack ones.
Source: UNB
